This happens for various reasons. It occurs when the owner considers the animal to be disruptive, or the animal grows too large; there are even instances when the pet was bought on impulse and regretted later.

In many cases, the abandoned animal has to fend for itself and often becomes feral in the process. Cats make up the more significant percentage of animals going feral after being abandoned.

Many states in the US have made it illegal to abandon a pet.

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The story of the dog abandoned in a Portuguese forest

When cycling through a forest enjoying nature, the last thing you expect to see is a dog tied to a tree, but that's what happened to some cyclists in Portugal.

The poor animal was tied so tightly to the tree that she could hardly move her head. She was so hungry and weak that she could barely stand. It was a truly heartbreaking scene.

While it is unclear how long she had been there, in a video taken of the rescue, her ribs were visible, which is evidence that she was grossly underweight.

In the clip, the dog can be seen confused, not knowing how to react as the men approach her. Some of them offered her food to distract her, while another cut her free.

Their prompt response to the animal in distress has been hailed by many animal organizations in Portugal, who have described the men as ‘heroes.’

Not much is known about what happened after the rescue, but the clip was uploaded to the the Asociacion Animalista Libera Facebook page.

How you can help abandoned animals

There are too many things that can be pointed out as reasons for animals to be abandoned. Unfortunately, we can't prevent them all, but the only thing that matter is that they are neglected and mistreated, and it's up to kind-hearted individuals to take care of them.

Donate to animal welfare organizations and Humane Societies: Nothing is too small, and donations go towards improving the welfare of these animals;

Volunteer at a shelter: There are many volunteer opportunities available, your time could go a long way in helping these animals;

Adopt a pet, don't buy one;

Foster a pet: This enables the shelter to take on more animals while they search for good forever homes for them.

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Ensure you spread the word. The global economic decline has been fingered as a major cause for increasing abandonment rates.

While that may be the case, it doesn't justify the fact, and certainly doesn't make it permissible, that people simply abandon these innocent creatures to their fate. We must do all that it is in our power to help them out until they can find their forever homes.